Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Yuquan Mountain Marketplace
"What were you two doing out there? Did you see anyone suspicious?"
The two patrolling guards had just returned to find a large group of guards waiting for them, led by the Guard Captain.
It seemed they had finally discovered that some of their fellow sect members had been killed.
Senior Brother Ma and Senior Brother Wang had long since recovered their wits and realized they had been tricked.
Along the way, they also discovered the Middle Grade ore was gone, which made them so furious they almost coughed up blood.
But alas, they were still a step too late.
"Damn it, I knew he was no good!"
"He actually killed two of our fellow sect members and stole the Middle Grade cold iron ore? The sheer audacity!"
After a brief exchange, the two patrolling guards couldn’t help but curse loudly.
"His Blood Escape Technique is that fast?"
"Impossible! You must have been too incompetent to catch him and are now just spouting nonsense to shift the blame!"
The Guard Captain and his men grew even more furious, even suspecting the two patrolling guards of lying.
"We’re not!"
The two patrolling guards hastily defended themselves. Knowing now wasn’t the time to place blame, the Guard Captain refrained from punishing them on the spot.
"A mere Demon Cultivator dares to cause trouble at our Cyan Cloud Sect’s mine! After him, now! He used the Blood Escape Technique, so his Vitality is bound to be severely drained."
"Besides, the Storage Bag, Disciple Token, and clothes he stole all bear our sect’s seal. We can use a Secret Technique to track him. There’s no way he can escape!"
Soon, the Senior Brother Manager learned of the incident and was equally furious.
They immediately activated the full Protective Array, then swarmed out in teams of five to search the surrounding mountains and wilderness.
—
’So you really did make your move today? You have to succeed. My rescue depends entirely on you!’
In the dungeon, Xiao Yunhong heard the commotion outside. He soon felt the Blood Curse Technique inside him dissipate, and a surge of joy washed over him, followed by a mix of nervousness and anticipation.
—
’That was a close call. Luckily, I was fast enough to escape! Those Cyan Cloud Sect guys, I bet you never saw this coming, did you? HAHAHAHA...’
Propelled by the Blood Escape Technique, Zhang Chi streaked through the air at a low altitude. The forest below blurred into a rapid retreat, and in no time, he was dozens of miles away.
Only then did he finally let out a sigh of relief, coming to a stop and laughing heartily.
After calming down, he immediately washed the blood from his face and formed a hand seal, remotely severing his connection to the Blood Curse.
With that, the Blood Curse Technique on Xiao Yunhong would instantly dissipate.
GULP!
He took out a leather waterskin and took a swig, and the color returned to his pale face.
It turned out the waterskin contained the Four-legged Strange Snake Essence Blood he had prepared in advance. He had gone to great, even reckless, lengths to acquire it, all for the sake of today’s escape.
With this to replenish his energy, his Blood Escape Technique at the Perfection realm, and his foundation in Body Refining Cultivation, he could use the technique once every hour as long as he paced himself.
’I wonder if these clothes, the Storage Bag, and the Token have any of the Cyan Cloud Sect’s tracking marks on them. Regardless, it’s better to get rid of them.’
"Go on. Take these things far away and get rid of them. After that, you’re free."
He took out the two tokens and commanded two ordinary Four-legged Strange Snakes to take them. They sped off in different directions.
After that, he quickly took stock of the items in the Storage Bag.
Besides the Middle Grade cold iron ore, the Middle Grade Cold Iron he had refined himself, a Cold Iron Flying Sword, and some Flying Needles, the Storage Bag was mostly filled with useless junk. However, there were three valuable items.
The first was a set of nineteen strange, egg-sized stones. They were angular, crystal-clear, and radiated an astonishing amount of Spiritual Qi.
Zhang Chi took one out and immediately identified them as Spirit Stones, the universal currency of the Immortal Cultivation Realm.
Spirit Stones had a wide range of uses, including aiding Cultivation, setting up Arrays, and refining Spirit Pills.
Additionally, Spirit Stones were divided into four grades: Low Grade, Middle Grade, Upper Grade, and Top Grade.
The higher the grade, the more valuable.
The exchange rate between adjacent grades was approximately one to one hundred.
For example, one Middle Grade Spirit Stone could be exchanged for one hundred Low Grade Spirit Stones.
These were all Low Grade, but to Zhang Chi, they were incredibly precious.
The second find was a set of medicinal pills, four types in total.
The first three types were Healing Medicine, an Antitoxic Pill, and an Evil-removing Pill. While useful, they couldn’t be considered true Spirit Pills; they were better than nothing, at least.
The fourth type of pill, however, was a pleasant surprise for Zhang Chi.
There were five of these pills. Each was the size of a fingertip, perfectly round, and jade-green in color. They emitted a fresh, herbal fragrance and faint fluctuations of Spiritual Power. One look was enough to tell they were treasures capable of advancing one’s Cultivation.
The third and most valuable prize was a stash of refined Middle Grade Cold Iron. It wasn’t very large, but it weighed well over a hundred pounds.
In all the time Zhang Chi had spent painstakingly refining the ore himself, he had only produced half this amount.
Clearly, the two guards had been lining their own pockets, and now Zhang Chi was the one reaping the rewards.
Once he finished his inventory, Zhang Chi found a secluded spot. He used the Quicksand Technique to take out the Middle Grade ore and sink it all deep underground.
He then carefully camouflaged the area and left a hidden mark so he could retrieve it in the future.
"You two are free as well. Take these Storage Bags. Once you’re far away, remember to ditch them, or they’ll get you killed."
He then took off his green robe and stuffed it into a Storage Bag. After wiping his own Spiritual Power imprints from the bags, he handed them to two more ordinary Four-legged Strange Snakes.
At this point, he had only six Four-legged Strange Snakes remaining: one ordinary and five at the Spirit Beast Level.
He had also already taken out the Cold Iron, the Small Sword and Flying Needles, the pills, the Spirit Stones, and some broken silver coins.
These items weren’t bulky and could be carried on his person.
Although the Cold Iron and silver were heavy, for a Cultivator like him, the weight was trivial.
After that, he changed direction, cast the Wind Manipulation Technique, and sped away under the cover of the trees.
A while later, he used the Blood Escape Technique again.
When he could no longer take the strain, he would use the Four-legged Snake Essence Blood to recover his strength, then continue on with the Wind Manipulation Technique.
By alternating between the two techniques, he traveled an immense distance in just half a day, successfully leaving the vast mountain range behind and reaching a populated area.
He didn’t encounter any Demon Beasts along the way.
For one, he was moving too fast.
For another, while there were Demon Beasts in these mountains, they were few and far between.
Another half a month passed in a flash, and he finally arrived at the foot of a great mountain.
The mountain rose as a solitary peak from a flat plain, its scenery breathtaking. A majestic waterfall cascaded from its summit like a river of silver.
The summit itself was shrouded in clouds and mist—and that was precisely Zhang Chi’s destination: the Yuquan Mountain Marketplace.
In the Great Abyss, every mortal kingdom was backed by an Immortal Cultivation Clan, so traces of Cultivators weren’t hard to find. The Yuquan Mountain Marketplace was located within the Chen Kingdom and was the territory of the Chen Family’s Immortal Cultivation Clan.
The summit of Yuquan Mountain contained a Tier Two Low Grade Spiritual Vein and was presided over by a Foundation Establishment Powerhouse from the Chen Family. As a result, it was quite prosperous and had become a hub for many Loose Cultivators.
’I finally made it!’
Travel-worn and dusty, Zhang Chi activated his Celestial Eye Technique. Seeing the faint Spiritual Light rising to the sky from the summit and the Cultivators coming and going, he couldn’t help but break into a smile.
He immediately used the Qi Concealment Technique to hide his Cultivation level, then cast the Wind Manipulation Technique and began to ascend the mountain.
The clouds and mist enveloping the summit were actually the Marketplace’s Protective Array, designed to keep out mortals and wild animals.
However, as it wasn’t fully activated, it posed no obstacle to Cultivators.
Aided by his Celestial Eye Technique and by following the path of other Cultivators, Zhang Chi quickly reached the summit, passed through the mist, and arrived at the entrance to the Marketplace.
